The investment in a home is most likely the largest financial investment that you will ever make in your lifetime. Due to the size of this investment and the impact it could have on your family, it is important that you do everything you can to protect your investment. Therefore, if you have a basement in your home, you need to understand the importance of having a sump pump to make sure your home is protected from water damage.
First, you may be asking, what exactly is a sump pump?
A sump pump is a pumping system that allows your basement to be protected in the event of a flood or water entering via other ways , like air conditioning pan overflow or broken pipes, etc. If your home has a basement, you know that it is the most susceptible area in the house to a flood due to the close proximity to the soil that could be saturated by a good rain. Water damage could cost you a lot of money and prized possessions, again emphasizing the importance of a sump pump in your basement.
The sump pump removes water that collects in a sump “pit” and sends it away from the house where it can do no damage. In older homes, the sump pump may pump collected water into the sanitary sewer. This is probably not up to code anymore, so check with your permit office to make sure that it is still acceptable in your area (or just call us).
Often in newer homes, the sump pump moves collected water into the drainage system that gets the water away from the foundation of the house. Many times this drainage system is the same buried pipe that collects water from the downspouts coming down from the roof.
There are 2 main types of sumps – pedestal and submersible.
- The submersible sump pump is specially sealed to prevent electrical short circuits and is placed down in the sump pit.
- The pedestal sump pump is mounted above the sump pit, which makes it easy to service, but it is so … right there screaming “Hello! I am a sump pump!” The submersible pump is the way to go if you want your sump pump out of sight.
Either way, it is nice to have a cover over the sump pit, so you can’t just look down into a pit of water. With an open pit, you run the risk of things falling into the pit and possibly damaging the pump. There’s nothing quite like finding a drowned mouse in your sump pit – yippee! A cover on the pit is also good because it will help with that dank, musty smell that comes with standing water.
Another way that sump pumps will help your home and your financial situation is that they will likely give you a good break on your homeowners insurance. Insurance companies are always excited to see their clients take precautions against possible risks and that is just what a sump pump does. Check with your insurance company to see what sort of discount they give with the installation of a sump pump system.
For more information about sump pumps, contact the professionals here at Marshall Mechanical.
We are a full-service, fully licensed and certified plumbing and HVAC contractor for both residential and commercial needs in the Greater Richmond, Virginia area. Call us today at 804-323-0189.
Also, if you ever have a flooding problem in your basement, we can help you with our emergency service, available 24/7 /365!
And for more information about sump pumps, check out this page on our website: Sump Pumps Are Your First Line of Defense Against Basement Flooding
